


Assistant Babysitting Attorney Pt 2

by clowchan



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Babysitting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-05
Updated: 2015-12-05
Packaged: 2018-05-05 04:09:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5360813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clowchan/pseuds/clowchan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on a prompt by sassy-ada-barba (found here: http://sassy-ada-barba.tumblr.com/post/134537618205/nanny-barba) It's corny and fluffy as all hell. I hope I did this prompt justice :")</p>
            </blockquote>





	Assistant Babysitting Attorney Pt 2

How in the world did Rafael Barba get roped into babysitting? Again? On what's considered his day off? Oh, that's right, Liv had an emergency meeting with Chief Deputy Dodds and had to run down by the precinct. She texted him, " _Please forgive me Raf, but can you watch Noah for a few hours?"_ She would explain that her go-to babysitter, Lucy, had some sort of college seminar to attend to and nobody else that she trusted was around.

He cursed, in his head, at Chief Deputy Dodds. " _Damn you and your dumb meetings._ " He reluctantly texts back to her, " _Yeah, I got it_ ", when he really didn't. Even though he visited Liv a lot for chitchat and casefiles and whatever else, he was still nervous around Noah. Especially when he has almost no experience watching kids, except for that one time he did watch him but he had help for that. Taking care of any child was frightening to him. Of course, he had his motives for saying " _yes_ ". Was it because he was still trying to gain more brownie points with Liv? Was it because she offered him a free dinner at one of his favourite restaurants? And added an extra bottle of red wine to the deal?  All of these things were true. He couldn't even call Sonny for help as he was also called in to help Liv and the rest of the crew. He truly was on his own. Dammit.

Babysitting Noah for Rafael was never an easy task. After quickly telling him Noah's schedule for food and bedtime and such, Liv leaves. "He should be asleep for you the whole afternoon," she says exiting out the door.

Wrong. Two minutes after she leaves, Noah is wide awake.  Even scarier was Noah knew how to walk, so Rafael had to track him down, what seemed to be every 5 seconds.  Putting him in his playpen was futile since the kid knew how to climb out of it. Was Noah doing this on purpose? _Ayayayay_. _Qué niño tan tonto._ Then he hears Noah speak, "Mama! Where Mama?!" and toddling to her bedroom door, trying to open it. Rafael picks him up, "She'll be back, Noah."

Noah gives a look of disbelief, stomping his feet, "Mama now!"

"Mama later."

This conversation went on for a good 5 minutes before he grew impatient of it.  Reasoning was not going to work on a toddler, who insisted on saying " _Mama_ " and " _Mommy_ " interchangeably with every word Rafael tried to say to him. _Oy_.

 He picks up the child in an awkward manner and places him in his pen. He hands him a couple of toys, "Please be good for your Uncle Rafael? _Por favor, chiquito?_ " He was confident that Noah would be satisfied with this, even putting on his favourite show, while Rafael relaxes on the couch. No child was going to ruin his day off. Wrong again. Noah climbs on the couch and jumps onto his stomach. "Why?!" he moans out in pain.

"Unca Rahf! Where Mama?"

Rafael was thoroughly annoyed and his face read as such. Too bad toddlers couldn't read body language. He wanted to go nuts and yell at him, instead resisting the notion.  He had to keep his good graces with Liv. " _Good job, genius, for volunteering yourself as tribute_ ," he thinks to himself. He sits up, rubbing his sore middle for a second, and then gets out his cell, while Noah jumped around on the couch saying " _Mama_ " over and over. He needed help. Who to call?  A light bulb went off: his mother. " _Hey Mami. Sí. Can I come over? ... With a small guest?  Liv's son, Noah.  ... I can? Great! Te quiero Mami!_ " He was relieved as he shoved the phone back in his pocket. Plus he needed to see her. It's been a while and she was always bothering him on facebook and wrote emails about it. What a terrific son he was.

Rafael was sure Liv wouldn't mind him taking little Noah out. He thought of it as uncle/nephew time. He shot out a quick message to Liv before finding a coat for Noah to wear. He had so many. Of course, Rafael was partially to blame for the amount of clothes he had. If they matched, he bought them. He found a nice overcoat he bought for him last month and put it on Noah as he kept babbling and pointing to various objects, "Mama! Mommy!"  He gathered Noah's bag with essential items: food, bottles, his favourite teddy, an extra pair of clothes, and some diapers. Satisfied with what he had, he picked up the bag and the child and off he went.

 

* * *

 

He arrives with Noah in tow as he pushes the door buzzer a couple times and Lucia answers the door. "Rafi," she kisses both his cheeks and then smiles when she sees Noah, "Oh, look at this _amorcito_." She quickly grabs the child out of his arms, "You're holding him wrong." Noah giggles as Rafael gives an exasperated look as they step inside, readjusting the diaper bag on his shoulder. He figured as long as the kid didn't fall over or fell through, any hold was good.

"Mama!" Noah points to the window as she bounces him a little.

"He's been doing that all day long," he sighs, placing the diaper bag on a sofa.

Lucia laughs and looks at Noah, "Someone else did the same when he was this little," nuzzling the little boy as he smiles and repeats, "Mommy!"

" _Mamiiiiiii,” Rafael whines._ “I was never this clingy." He blushes as he takes off his overcoat and Noah's and hangs them up.

"Keep telling yourself that, Rafi. You cried the first day you went to kindergarten, asking where I was over and over to your teacher." Lucia puts a hand on her hip.

"Th-that's different." His ears burned thinking about that day, he will always remember it, and because his mother would never let him forget it. He hated to admit it, but he certainly was a mama's boy and he could tell Noah was too.

"Not really but I'll let you pretend the opposite, _Rafito_ ," she smirks.

He quickly changes the subject, "Something smells really good."

"I made _ropa vieja._ Perfect for a chilly day like today," she smiles.

As often as he ate out, nothing beats homecooking from his mother. " _Fantastic_ ," he licks the side of mouth as his stomach growls while she goes to the kitchen and serves him a plate at the dining table with a cup of coffee. " _Gracias_." Rafael takes a seat, taking notice how Noah's protests of "Mama!" suddenly disappeared. _Thank God_.

" _De nada, mijo_." She makes a smaller plate for a Noah, letting him sit on her lap. "Here you go, little one."

Rafael watched with amusement as the child stuck his hands in the food and sticking fistful of food into his mouth. "YUM!"

"Seems he likes it," Lucia smiles as Noah ate most of his food.

"Noah has good taste, obviously," Rafael smiles finishing up his meal and taking his plate out. How her cooking always hit the spot and it made him warm inside. He really missed that feeling. He comes back to the dining area where Noah reaches up for him. "UNCAH! UNCAH!" Rafael picks him up awkwardly again. He wondered if he would ever get a hang of this.

"No, no, Rafi.” Lucia shakes her head. "Like this." She scoops up Noah in her arms, who giggles at how much he kept getting picked up. He viewed it as a game. "UNCAH RAHF! PLAY!" Rafael copies the sweeping motion, cradling the boy in his arms. He felt more comfortable doing this third time around. " _Muy bien_." She smiles proudly at her son. "Let's go wash his hands." They walk to the kitchen sink and clean him up.

Rafael looks at his watch, "Hey, _Mami_. I have to get going."

"So soon?" Lucia sounded slightly disappointed.

"Yeah, I have a feeling Liv will be back in a little bit.” He gathered his and Noah's things.

"I understand but please visit me more often. And this _amorcito_ is more than welcome back." She hugs the both of them. " _Cuídate, Rafi. Te quiero_."

"That's up to Liv," Rafael gives a warm smile, ”but I'll let her know. _Te quiero Mami_." He kisses her cheeks and leaves for Liv's home.

 

* * *

 

Rafael gets back to Liv's apartment, placing everything, except for Noah, down. He carries him to the couch, humming a tune as they sit down, and saddling the boy on his lap. Noah looked up at him, his eyes gazing at Rafael's before letting out a yawn. His hum turned into a quiet song, one his mother used to sing to him as a child. " _Duermete mi niño, duermete mi amor, duermete pedazo de mi corazón..._ " Noah laid his head against his chest, nuzzling him, yawning again.  It really dawned on him how much he bonded with Noah that day and how that little boy trusted him. This bonding experience made Rafael think about wanting to have his own children, but truthfully he would have to make time for that to be feasible. " _Someday,_ " he thought as he continues the song till Noah falls asleep. Rafael was feeling quite sleepy himself, partly due to his mother's delicious homecooking. He lies comfortably on the couch, readjusting Noah as carefully as possible without waking him, and he falls asleep with an arm holding on to Noah protectively.

"Now isn't that adorable?" It was Liv taking photos of the two of them. How long was he out for? Clearly awhile judging by how dark it was outside.

"Mmmm-I just closed my eyes."  He sits up, stretching his left arm out, still holding onto her son.

"Sure." She laughs. "I hope he was good for you."

"He was." He tried to hand off Noah to her, but he clings to him. He found that odd considering he was begging for hours about where his Mama went.

"Somebody's a fan," she smiles.

"You could say," he nods as Noah pats his face and looks at Liv. "Mama! Uncah Rahf!" He finally reaches for her.

"Yes, that's your Uncle Rafael, sweetie." She takes Noah into her arms. "Thank you so much. I promise you I will take you out.”

"When you can, don’t rush yourself, Liv," he smiles as he throws on his coat, messing up Noah's hair who pouts, "NO! UNCAH RAHF!" He leans down and lets the boy mess up his hair in return, which the boy does with enthusiasm and Liv laughs.  He waves them both goodbye and leaves for his own home. What an incredible day.

**Author's Note:**

> Translations:  
> Qué niño tan tonto - what a silly child  
> Por favor, chiquito ?- please child?  
> Te quieto Mami - I love you Mom  
> Amorcito - little love  
> Ropa vieja - Cuban stewed beef and vegetable dish  
> Gracias - Thanks  
> De nada - you're welcome  
> Cuídate - Take care  
> Duermete mi niño - Spanish lullaby "Sleep, my child" (http://mmmmcuba.blogspot.com/2012/05/lullaby.html)


End file.
